Should I Quit Teaching?
- lauralitwiller
- Nov 18, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 6
How to know when it's time to leave the classroom
Are you an educator who has this big 'ol question on REPEAT:"Should I quit teaching?!"
You're not alone. Thousands of teachers are wrestling with this decision, especially given the current mess of the educational landscape.
Should I leave teaching? The toll of indecision.
Pause for a moment and add up the months or years you've spent asking yourself: "Should I quit teaching?"
Seriously, add it up!
You might find that it has consumed months or even years of mental and emotional energy (possibly longer than some of your students have been alive)!
Waffling back and forth between "OMG, I need to quit teaching" and "Eh, teaching isn't always so bad." takes a significant toll on you.
Create additional stress on top of your already demanding teaching workload
Damage relationships with students, administrators, and colleagues
Drain energy that you could otherwise use in the classroom or for self-care.
How to know when to leave teaching: key signs
If you're trying to determine whether you should quit teaching, watch out for these signs:
You find yourself withdrawing from interactions with colleagues
You avoid teacher spaces whenever possible (eating alone, skipping staff meetings when you can)
The Sunday night scaries become more intense and start earlier in the weekend
You've stopped seeking out professional development opportunities— you can't imagine learning anything else about teaching that what would actually interest you
You find it difficult to be present and engaged with your students
You're researching "alternative careers for teachers" during your planning periods
What NOT to do when deciding "Should I quit teaching?"
Many teachers considering a career change make these common mistakes:
👎 Don't overthink it.
You've likely already analyzed "should I leave teaching?" to death, am I right?
👎 Don't endlessly discuss it with other teachers.
They might be facing the same questions, but they can't offer a new perspective or fresh ideas. They're probably stuck just like you!
👎 Don't make a pros and cons list about teaching.
The question of "should I quit teaching?" is far too nuanced for this black and white approach. I share more about why a pros and cons list won't work in my blog post How to decide whether to leave teaching.
👎 Don't randomly browse job postings for alternative careers for teachers.
It's overwhelming without a clear direction. In my blog post, Stop scrolling through job postings, I explain why.
👎 Don't wait for a lightening bolt of clarity.
You might be waiting a long time.
👎 Don't wait until you're 100% certain.
It's unlikely that you'll ever be that certain about whether to leave a career like teaching.
Ditch these strategies. They don't actually work!
How to Know If It's Time to Leave Teaching: Effective Decision-Making Strategies
Instead, try these actionable approaches to determine if a teacher career change is right for you:
👍 Track your teaching experience systematically
Keep a daily or weekly log of how you feel about teaching to identify patterns that might answer "Should I quit teaching?" Use a notebook or an app like How We Feel. Observe the trends over time.
👍 Identify specific teaching pain points
What exactly makes you want to leave teaching? Are these issues that could be solved by changing schools, grade levels, or districts rather than leaving the profession entirely?
👍 Name your fears about a career change
What are you most afraid of if you leave teaching (or if you stay)? Getting clear on this can help you see what's holding you back.
👍 Challenge your limiting beliefs about alternative careers for teachers
Question assumptions like "I can't do anything but teach," "No other job will give me the same satisfaction," "There's no way to make my teaching experience better," or "I won't ever be able to retire without my pension." Are these beliefs actually true?
👍 Consider a temporary break.
Sometimes a sabbatical or leave of absence can help you determine if you should leave teaching permanently.
👍 Focus on what YOU want
Take a moment to tune out the needs of others and tap into what feels right to you.
👍 Research specific career alternatives to teaching
Don't just wonder about other options—do online research and talk to people in those fields.
👍 Listen to your intuition
Your gut feelings can provide valuable insights— if you're willing to listen.
👍 Take my Should I Quit Teaching quiz
It offers you a fresh perspective on whether you should stay or go.
Heeey, don't just read this blog post and walk away!
This isn't just information to passively consume like another Instagram post, news article, or podcast.
If you're serious about figuring out whether you should leave teaching, you gotta take action.
What will your next step be?
Tracking your feelings about teaching on a daily basis?
Taking the Should I Quit Teaching quiz?
Reflecting on your biggest fears?
Pick one step and act today.
The alternative? Spending more months—or years—stuck in indecision. Life's too short for that.
I'm Laura, a career clarity coach for teachers feeling stuck.
I help you explore career possibilities beyond the classroom so that you can make a confident choice about what's right for you, based on your strengths, values, personality, and what you want most for your life.
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